Sugar isn’t necessarily a bad thing; natural sugars are found in foods from apples to milk, and give us energy. But Canadians consume about 16 teaspoons of added sugar a day—that’s 240 calories. (One teaspoon (5 mL) of sugar is four grams). Too much of any sugar can lead to tooth decay, and a high-calorie diet could result in health issues like type 2 diabetes. On packaged foods, it may be listed as syrup, dextrose, fructose, glucose, lactose, maltose, sucrose or maltodextrins, among others. In theory, cutting just four teaspoons (16 grams) a day would add up to six pounds of weight loss in a year. Since every bit counts, here are some ideas for cutting back.